Recap: Cincinnati vs. St. Louis

Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Todd Frazier belted a three-run homer and Devin Mesoraco added a solo shot to carry the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals to open a three-game series from Great American Ball Park.

Homer Bailey (4-3) allowed eight hits and three runs over six innings to win his third straight home start. His only defeat at Great American Ball Park came April 3 against the Cardinals.

Brayan Pena knocked in the other run and came up with the defensive play of the night for the Reds, who have won back-to-back games for the first time since May 3-4 versus Milwaukee.

"It was kind of like a playoff game," Frazier said. "I was really excited. We're playing against a big rival."

Allen Craig had a two-run single for the Cardinals, who lost for just the second time in nine contests.

Shelby Miller (6-3) had his personal five-start and six-decision winning streak broken after giving up five hits and four runs over five frames. Two of his losses this year have come against the Reds.

Pena made a highlight-reel stop in the eighth inning. The Reds first baseman made a diving stop on a ball destined for the right-field corner. With his stomach on the chalk line, Pena turned his neck and flipped the ball to Jonathan Broxton covering to get Matt Holliday for the first out.

The Cardinals didn't hit the ball out of the infield during a 1-2-3 eighth frame and Aroldis Chapman, throwing heat over 100 mph, worked around a single to pinch-hitter Mark Ellis to notch his fourth save.

"We had them on the ropes a couple of times," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "Those are times we're looking for that big hit to happen. It just didn't come."

With Pena and Billy Hamilton aboard in the third, Frazier slugged his ninth homer of the year, a shot to center field.

Craig's soft liner to left plated Matt Carpenter and Kolten Wong in the fourth, but the Reds got that run back in the bottom half. Jay Bruce doubled to lead off and later scored on Pena's sacrifice fly to center.

With runners at the corners in the top of the sixth, the Cardinals were able to get within 4-3 when Jhonny Peralta's slow grounder allowed the Reds to record only one out, at second. That scored Craig.

The Cardinals had runners at first and second when Bailey turned and threw to shortstop Zack Cozart to pick off Peralta at second to end the top of the sixth.

"I don't know if they had a sign on, but the timing was great," Reds manager Bryan Price said.

Mesoraco slugged the insurance homer, a blast to left off Seth Maness in the bottom of the sixth.

Game Notes

The Reds recalled outfielder Donald Lutz from Louisville and optioned
infielder Neftali Soto to the Triple-A club ... Bailey moved to 6-10 lifetime
against the Cardinals ... The Reds need one more win this weekend to beat the
Cardinals for only the second time in the last 11 series. Their only series
victory during the stretch was from Sept. 2-5 of last season. Jaime Garcia
pitches for the Cardinals Saturday against Tony Cingrani.